Report: Whitney Mercilus will not join Chiefs; will sign with Packers

Former Houston Texans defensive end Whitney Mercilus will not be joining the Kansas City Chiefs. According to a report from NFL journalist Aaron Wilson, Mercilus has decided to sign with the Green Bay Packers.

Wilson also reports that Merclius was indeed being pursued by the Chiefs — and also by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mercilus was officially released by the Texans on Tuesday.

According to their report on his signing with the Packers, our SBNation colleagues at Acme Packing Company say that the Packers — like the Chiefs — needed more pass rushers.

Za’Darius Smith, Chauncey Rivers, and Randy Ramsey are all on the injured reserve list while starter Preston Smith is currently dealing with an obliques injury.

Should Smith not be cleared to play this weekend, the Packers only have three pass-rushing linebackers on their roster: Rashan Gary, Jonathan Garvin, and La’Darius Hamilton. Garvin was a 2020 sixth-round pick, and Hamilton was signed off of the Buccaneers’ practice squad in Week 2. It’s worth noting that the team also signed Aaron Adeoye to the practice squad yesterday, addressing the position in more ways than one.

And according to a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Mercilus turned down larger offers to play for the Packers.

Yes... that stings a bit. But right now, a 31-year-old player who has been to the playoffs five times in a 10-year NFL career — and has never played past the Divisional round — might see a better opportunity for a championship ring with a 5-1 Packers team than he would have with a 3-3 Chiefs team.

It’ll be up to the Chiefs to prove him wrong. Unfortunately, they’ll have to do it without him.